Galveston, Texas - The Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs (TDHCA) conditionally approved the City of Galveston’s Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Housing Disaster Recovery application for $160M last week. Pending any deficiencies, the City’s application will be fully approved by the TDHCA Board at their July 30 meeting. City officials have already begun to pre-screen residential applicants for program eligibility. Approved Housing Recovery Projects List

The City of Galveston was also awarded a $1 million Neighborhood Stabilization Program (NPS) grant. These funds will supplement the monies allocated for homebuyer assistance programs, demolition projects, as well as provide additional resources for acquisition and rehabilitation of Island homes. The NPS award announcement was another win for the City staff attending the TDHCA Board meeting in Austin.

“The Neighborhood Stabilization Award was quite a windfall,” stated Sterling Patrick, Director of the City of Galveston’s Grants and Housing Department. “These funds will dovetail with the $160 million of disaster recovery housing monies the City is poised to receive. Having these funds in hand will hasten the Island’s recovery,” he added.

In February, the Houston Galveston Area Council (H-GAC) Board of Directors voted to award the City of Galveston a total of $267,387,056 in CDBG funding. This was the highest award of any of the jurisdictions in the Houston/Galveston region. Of these funds, 60%, $160,432,233, of the monies will address housing needs. The other 40%, $106,954,823, will pay for other disaster relief projects, including hardening of infrastructure, to rebuild the city. Approval of the City’s Community Development Block Grant Non-Housing Disaster Recovery application is pending.